Will Wonders Never Cease? Washington Post Endorses Atif Qarni for State Senate

No, I’m still not a fan of Lee Hockstader’s, but he certainly got this one right!

State Senate District 29: Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park. The Democratic incumbent, Charles J. Colgan, who has held the seat since 1976, is the longest serving state senator in Virginia’s history. His retirement after 10 terms touched off a primary race featuring three plausible candidates, each of whom ran for the House of Delegates two years ago.

The strongest of them is Atif M.Qarni, who served eight years in the U.S. Marines, including a tour in Iraq, before becoming a school teacher in Prince William County.

Mr. Qarni, widely admired for his energy, determination and commitment to service, would be the only active teacher in the Senate. He’d also be an effective advocate for schools who could speak to the real-world impact of legislation and policy from the perspective of someone working in one of the most diverse school districts anywhere.

Nailed it; this shouldn’t even be a close call.

Also of interest, the Post endorsed Paul Krizek in the 44th House of Delegates district, correctly calling him “abundantly qualified to serve in Richmond, having been heavily involved in local civic groups for more than two decades.” Also nailed it.

Finally, Craig Fifer continues his endorsement momentum, picking up the Washington Post, which says his “background, combining policy savvy and on-the-ground experience, is excellent preparation for a legislator.”

Now, we’ll see how the candidates take advantage of the “Washington Post endorsed” label, and how much clout said endorsement carries.